Ship-hoisting apparatus



J. G. CURREY SHIP HOjIlSTING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 18, 1924 3Sheets-Sheet 1 Jamar G, Currey,

J. G. CURREY SHIP HOISTING APPARATUS Dec. 29 1925.

Filed Nov. 18, 1924 3 Sheets-Sheet g Dec. 29 1925;

' J. G. CURREY SHIP HOISTING APPARATUS Filed Novfl8, 1924 SSheets-Sheet5 L gi /11mm flames zzr'l'ey 331;. Cutaway.

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Patented Dec. 29, 1925.

JAMES G. CUB/REY, OF LEAVENW'ORTI-I, KANSAS.

SHIP-HC'IST NG APPARA'IUS.

Application filed November 18, 1924. Serial No. 750,607.

ToaZZ whom it may concern,-

Be it known that I, JAMES G. Conner, a citizen of the United States,residing at Leavenworth, in the county of Leavenworth and State ofKansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ship-Hoisting Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to hoisting apparatus which may be employed toadvantage in raising ships sunk in water too deep for divers to operateeiiiciently for the purpose of repairing breaches with temporary patchespreparatory to floating such ships.

In carrying out the invention a number of tongs'are lowered to gripportions of the submerged ship and initially raise the same a shortdistance above the bottom of the sea. so that a number of cables may beplaced under said ship to form a sling for the purpose of raising theship to the surface.

Reference will now be had to the accompanying drawings. in which:

Fig. 1 is a vertical cross section of two salvaging vessels eduippedwith the hoisting apparatus in position for hoisting a sunken ship.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of one of the salvaging vessels with thehoists removed.

Fig. 3 is a detail of one of a number of hoistswith which the salvagingvessels are equipped.

Fig. 4 is a detail of one of a number of drums employed in taking upslack and supporting the hoisting cables.

Fig. 5 shows a longitudinal section and a plan view of one of a numberof clamps for engaging the hoisting cables.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged front elevation of a pair of tongs employed incarrying out the invention.

Fig. 7 is a side view of said tongs.

Referring now in detail to the various parts. 1 and 1, designate twosalvaging veswhich may be in the torin oit' barges, pontoons, or othersuitable type. and will hereinafter be referred to as barges, orsalvaging vessels. The barges l and 1 are equipped at their lowerportions with antifriction rollers 2 for a purpose which willhereinafter appear. 3 and 8 designate standards ar 'anged along theadiacent sides of the barges l and 1 and provided at their upper endswith cross arms 4 and 4, in which guide sheaves 5 and 5, respectively,are ou ed.

(i designates a pair ot tongs consisting of a pair of jaws 7 and 8,having arms 11 and 12, respectively. connected by a pivot 13. Theadjacent sides of the jaws 7 and 8 have ratchet-like serrations 9 and10, respectively, to enable them to obtain a lirm grip on a subn'lergedship.

The upper ends of the arms 11 and 12 are bifurcated to receive sheaves14 mounted on spindles 17. A bridle 16 extends around the sheaves letand has its ends crossed. one end being secured to the arm 11 and theother to the arm 12 by suitable means such as U- bolts 19.

1S and 18 designate hoisting cables attached at their lower ends to twoof the bridles 16. The upper ends of the cables 18 and 18 may beattached to traveling cranes 21 and 23 mounted on tracks 21" and 23.extending longitudinally of the barges 1 and 1, or said cables may beattached to a number of the drums 20 and 20, on the barges l and 1,respectively.

22 and 22 designate hoists suspended from the cross arms 4 and 4., andprovided with clamps 2t and 24;, respectively, for gripping the hoistingcables 18, 18 and 26. The hoisting cables 26 run over a number ol thesheaves 5 and 5 and are attached to a numbcr oi' the drums 20 and 20.The hoists 22 and 22 provide direct lifting means for the cables andtheir load and eliminate the triotion and extra power required toovercome the same it the cables were hoisted by the drums after beingbent over the guide sheaves.

27 designates other hoisting cables which run over a number of guidesheaves 30 and 30 and are attached to a number of drums 29 and 2t on thebarges 1 and 1, respectively. The sheaves 30 and 30 are mounted on crossarms 32 and 32 carried hv standards 34 and ill. arranged. along the portside of the barge l. and the starboard side of the barge 1.,respectively. Hoists 36 and 36", similar to the hoists 22, 22, aresuspended from the cross arms 32 and 32 and provided with clamps 38 and38". respectively, similar to the clamps 24, 24-.

The respective drums 20. 20*. and 29, 29, are actuated by levers 40having pawls 42. which engage ratchet wheels l4 fixed to said drums andengaged by pawls -16. which hold the drums from backward rotation.

In practice, after the submerged ship A has been located, two pairs ofthe tongs 6 are lowered preferably by the traveling cranes 21 and 23, toprobe for a grip on the rails or other projecting portions of said ship.Preparatory to lowering the tongs 6, their jaws are opened and heldapart by suitable means such as 2 X 4 inch timbers C, which are aboutthree feet in length. As the tongs are lowered said timbers C strike therails or other projecting parts of the ship A and are dislodged frombetween the jaws 7 and 8, which immediately close upon said projections.Clamps 2e, 2e are then lowered close to the waterline and applied to thecables '18, 18 to hold the same taut while their upper ends are removedfrom the cranes 21, 23, run over the sheaves and 5 and attached 'to'thedrums 20 and 20 respectively. The foregoing operation is repeated untila suflicient number oftongs have seized the ship to raise the. same. Theship. is then raised step by step by the clamps 2 1-, 24 and the hoists22, 22 After'the ship has been raised a short distance from the bottomof the sea a number of the cables 26 and 27 reliable hoisting means thanthat afforded by the tongs 6. A number of the clamps 24', 24: and 38, 38are then applied to the cables 26 and 27, respectively, close to thewater line and the respective hoists 22, 22 and 86, 36 are operated inunison to raise the cables 18, 26 and 27 step by step, the

, slack being taken up by the associate drums and 20, 20 and 29, 29,respectively. The vessel is raised to the surface between the barges 1-and 1 step by step and may then be patched pumped out so that it can bereadily towed to dry dock for permanent repairs.

By hoisting the cables in unison the vessel A and the barges 1 and '1are kept on an even keel, and as the cables 27. are raised step by stepthey are kept from becoming damaged, or damaging the lower corner on theport side of the barge 1, or the lower starboard corner of the barge P,by the associate antifriction rollers 2. Placement of the cables 26 and27 in sling l orm beneath the ship A may be effected in any suitableway, but preferably by the apparatus disclosed in my copendingapplication filed November 18, 1924, Serial No. aw

From the foregoing description it is apparent that I have providedhoisting appa ra t us emliodying the advantages above pointed out,and-while I have shown and described the preferred construction,combination and arrangement of parts I reserve the right to make suchchanges as properly fall within the spirit and scope of the invention asclaimed.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent, is:

1. In combination, a salvaging vessel, guide sheaves supported abovesaid vessel, a drum mounted on said vessel, a hoisting cable connectedatone end to said drum and running over and depending from said guidesheaves, and an antifriction roller at the. adjacent lower corner of thesalvaging vessel for engagement. by said cable.

2. In combination, a salvaging vessel, a cross arm supported above saidsalvaging vessel, a hoist suspended from said cross arm, and clampmeanscarried by said hoist for engaging a hoisting cable.

3. Incombination, a salvaging vessel, a row of drums arranged along eachside of saidsalvaging vessel, hoisting. cables attached to a number ofsaid drums, guide sheaves associated with said drums to guide the freeends of said cables overboard, and hoists arranged along each side ofthe salvaging vessel for raising the hoisting cables.

4. In combination, a salvaging vessel, a row of drums arranged alongeach side of said salvaging vessel, hoisting cables attached to a numberof said drums, guide sheaves associated with said drums to guide thefree ends of said cables overboard, cross arms-0n which said guidesheaves are mounted, standards arranged along each side of the salvagingvessel and carrying said cross arms, and hoist depending from said crossarms and adapted to raise the hoisting cables. I

5. In combination, a salvaging vessel, a row of drums arranged alongeach side of said salvaging vessel, hoisting cables attached to a numberof said drums, guide sheaves associated with saiddrums to. guide thefree ends ofsaid cables overboard, hoists arranged along each side ofthe salvaging vessel for raising the hoisting cables, and clamp meanscarried by said hoists for gripping the hoisting cables.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

JAMES e. onunnr.

